


Polite Conversation

by sbdrag



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Banter, First Kiss, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-19
Updated: 2016-08-19
Packaged: 2018-08-09 16:50:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7809760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sbdrag/pseuds/sbdrag
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dukat tries to ruin everything and accidentally makes it better instead.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Polite Conversation

“Well, it seems the damage is mostly superficial - other than the broken ribs, which I’ve already repaired.” Julian set went to work with his dermal regenerator, largely trying to ignore his patient.

 

“Superficial? Doctor, the Klingon took off half my face!” Dukat sat up on the biobed, seemingly at ease with himself. It was true that the left side of his face was bloody, but this was mostly due to a gash on his forehead and brow. 

 

“They managed to tear a few supercilium scales loose, but you’re otherwise fine.” 

 

It was days like these  when having a largely Bajoran crew was a distinct drawback - he had three human nurses, and all of them were busy attending to the other Cardassians in the infirmary. Julian had taken on the task of treating Dukat himself - it was an unpleasantness he would not wish on any of his staff. 

 

“Doctor, I’m surprised at you.” Dukat watched the human work, remaining still under the treatment. 

 

Julian made a noncommittal noise in response. 

 

“I thought you were a man who prided himself on his rigorous professionalism - and yet you treat  _ me _ , one of your patients, with-”

 

“Can we skip the part where you play the wounded party?” Julian focused on his work so he could ignore how close to the Cardassian it forced him. “Because neither of us believes it, and being nice to you is not a requirement of my job.”

 

“Then what is it I’ve heard about Federation bedside manner?”

 

_ Probably nothing.  _ Somehow, he didn’t think that response would help the situation. “I wouldn’t begin to guess what you’ve heard about Federation bedside manner, Dukat.” He set aside the dermal regenerator. “There. You’re healed.”

 

Dukat gingerly felt the leathery skin and scales around his eye, checking the doctor’s work. “You have my thanks, doctor - though I may have to speak to your superiors about your  _ professional manner _ .”

 

Julian smiled, folding his hand behind his back and thinking of how Captain Sisko would react to such a complaint. “Be my guest.”

 

Dukat frowned - probably having the same thought as the doctor on Sisko’s likelihood of taking his complaint seriously. 

 

Julian turned away from the Cardassian, going around to check with his nurses. 

 

Dukat followed behind, always just half a step too close - in the name of checking on his men, of course. 

 

The doctor ignored him for the most part. But, after having ensured all of their patient had been seen to, he turned around abruptly on his heel.

 

The move took Dukat by surprise, as it put the human squarely in his space. Being the kind of man his was, the Cardassian refused to move back even an inch - it would be a concession, and concessions were as good as defeats.

 

Julian knew this as well, and stood his ground with a sort of casual disdain. “As you can see, we’ve treated all of your men to the best of our abilities.”

 

“Indeed you have, doctor. And an admirable job at that.” Dukat smiled his crocodile smile. “I was… concerned, seeing how you seem to harbor some ill feelings towards me.”

 

Julian arched a brow. “Now, why would that be, I wonder?”

 

Dukat finally took a step back, making it part of a grand gesture of sweeping out his arms. “I haven’t the faintest idea, doctor! Ever since that unfortunate incident two years ago-”

 

“Rugal Pa’Dar.” 

 

Dukat winced. “Yes, the boy.” He waved a hand dismissively. “Ever since then, I have sensed a certain coldness from you, doctor.”

 

_ Can’t he go and bother Kira or Sisko? _ “It must be your imagination, Dukat. I have no reason to dislike you.” Julian purpose let his eyes trail thoughtfully to the ceiling. “Well, excepting, of course, the time you were going to blackmail us all into handing the station over to you.”

 

Dukat chuckled. “I was never serious about that, doctor. Simply a joke taken too far.”

 

Julian hummed noncommittally. “Well, as much as I would… enjoy hashing this all out, I have an appointment to keep.” The doctor stepped over to put his tricorder away, nodding to one of his nurses.

 

She checked the time, then smiled and nodded back.

 

“I thought that doctors  _ received _ appointments.” Dukat narrowed his eyes at the exchange.

 

Julian brushed past the Cardassian on his way out of the infirmary. “Well, I happen to have a very difficult patient. Do try not to end up in my infirmary again, Dukat.”

 

The Cardassian smiled thinly, still watching him suspiciously as he left.

 

* * *

 

Julian went straight to Garak’s shop. He was a little early for lunch - a rare occurrence, as it was typical of the doctor to get lost in his work. But every once in awhile, he managed to leave early. He considered it something of a treat - it meant he got to watch Garak work.

 

The doctor entered the tailor’s shop quietly. 

 

“I’ll be with you in a moment.” Garak heard him anyway, and called out from the back.

 

Julian smiled, shaking his head as he made his way around the displays to step into the backroom. The door was open - likely so Garak could listen for customers - and the doctor leaned against the doorframe. 

 

Although he knew that tailoring was not Garak’s first profession, it was hard to tell simply by looking at him. He worked with quiet efficiency, an intense look in his blue eyes as he paid attention to the slightest details. Not to mention how many of those details were on his own, original designs. 

 

The tailor looked up, then smiled. “Ah, doctor, I see you managed to escape Dukat.”

 

Julian snorted and shook his head - he wasn’t even going to bother asking how the man knew these things. “Escape being the operative word. The man is insufferable.”

 

Garak hummed, finishing up what he was working on. “You’ll get no disagreement here, my dear. What Ziyal sees in him…” The tailor shook his head.

 

“He is still her father.” Julian knew he hadn’t quite kept the bitterness out of his voice when he said it, because Garak looked up.

 

The Cardassian arched an eye ridge, but there was a certain amount of understanding there, too. “True enough.” The tailor quickly finished up his work, then stood and approached the doctor.

 

“I’m not sure how it could be  _ less _ true.” Julian moved aside, and the two fell into step together.

 

Garak’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “Really? I have a hard time believing such a sweet, innocent child came from someone like Dukat at all. Now, if her mother were not as special as Dukat claimed…”

 

Julian raised his brows in mock consternation. “Garak, you would disparage a man’s  _ family _ ?”

 

“Of course not, doctor. I’m certain that Dukat’s wife and children are  _ most pleased _ with his current occupation.” 

 

Julian couldn’t help his smile.  _ Yes, after this morning, this is  _ just _ what I needed _ .

 

* * *

 

“Look, Dukat, we can talk - but it’s going to have to be over lunch, my schedule is  _ packed _ .” Kira was reading from a padd as she walked, headed for the Replimat. 

 

Dukat held up his hands. “Very well, Major - I understand my visit i unexpected. I merely wanted to talk to you about Ziyal.”

 

Kira sighed, and lowered the padd to look at Dukat. “I know this must be hard for you, but staying on the station is still the best thing for her.”

 

Dukat inclined his head. “I know - but I want to know how she’s doing. I’m sure she might be keeping things from me, if only to keep me from worrying.”

 

Kira sighed again, smiling a little. “Alright, lunch then. I can set things aside for an hour.”

 

Dukat smiled. “Thank you, Major. I appreciate this.”

 

Kira nodded, and began heading toward the Replimat again. 

 

When they got closer, Dukat stopped in surprise, blinking. 

 

Kira noticed, and stopped as well. “Dukat?”

 

The Cardassian roused himself, and smiled. “Forgive me, Major - I was merely caught off guard. I wasn’t aware that Doctor Bashir and Garak were… close.”

 

Kira looked back to the Replimat, and this time she saw Julian and Garak at their usual table. They were clearly in the middle of some deep discussion - Julian was gesticulating with his silverware in between bites of food while Garak ate slowly, always resting his hands before answering. 

 

The Major looked back to Dukat. “Oh, that? That’s nothing - they just have lunch once a week and talk about old books.”

 

Dukat’s eye ridges rose. “In public?”

 

Kira frowned, brows drawing together. “Is there something wrong with that?”

 

Dukat snorted. “Only that it reeks of desperation. The discussion of literature and philosophy is meant for close friends and lovers - in close, private settings. Garak must be truly  _ starved  _ for company if he would engage in such an act with a man he hardly knows.”

 

Kira blinked several times. “Dukat, they’ve been doing this for over two years.”

 

Dukat looked at the Major, then back to the table at the Replimat. Then, slowly, he smiled. “Is that so? If you don’t mind, Major, I think I should have a word with the doctor…”

 

* * *

 

“... though I dearly wish that psychohistory were a true field of study - the possibilities of such a predictive power…”

 

Julian chuckled. “I take it, then, that Asimov is acceptable?”

 

Garak smiled, raising his brow ridges. “Well, he’s no Preloc, but he is an improvement from your Shakespeare.”

 

“Doctor Bashir!”

 

Julian sucked in a breath, frowning at the interruption. He turned in his seat to see Dukat approaching with Major Kira.

 

The Bajoran shot him an apologetic smile. 

 

The doctor looked up at the new Cardassian. “Can I help you, Dukat?”

 

Dukat smiled genially. “Oh, no, your services this morning were more than sufficient-”

 

Garak rolled his eyes, looking askance to study the wall.

 

“-but I thought that perhaps I could be of service to you.” Dukat sent the tailor a cool glare.

 

Julian folded his hands on the table. “And how, exactly, did you think to accomplish this?”

 

“Why, by revealing some less than noble intentions of your… how did you put it? ‘Difficult patient’?” Dukat smiled thinly.

 

Garak arched a brow at the doctor.

 

_ Well, there’s something to discuss later. _ Julian sighed. “Then would you mind terribly getting to the point?”

 

Dukat’s smile turned gloating - all arrogance and self-pleased. “Did you know that Cardassians consider the discussion of literature to be a very  _ intimate _ act? One reserved for family, or… lovers?”

 

Julian blinked at Dukat. He looked at Kira.

 

She shrugged, shooting a glare at Dukat.

 

The doctor looked at Garak, brows raised.

 

Garak seemed to find his plate suddenly fascinating. He spoke in a low murmur. “How like you, Dukat, to take the lowest road possible.”

 

Dukat snorted. “And how like you,  _ Garak _ , to disgrace yourself so thoroughly - practically declaring you’re infatuated with a human in the middle of the Promenade-”

 

“Well, I certainly hope so.”

 

“-and - wait, you what?” Dukat’s head shot down to look at the doctor.

 

Julian stood, a slightly mischievous look in his eye. He stepped around the table.

 

Garak looked up at him in surprise, arching a questioning eye ridge.

 

The doctor smiled. “Because if you’re not, this is going to be  _ very _ awkward.” 

 

And then he leaned down and kissed the tailor square on the mouth.

 

Dukat looked like he’d been been hit by a phaser on stun.

 

Kira couldn’t  _ quite _ bring herself to disapprove.

 

Julian pulled back, and looked  _ his _ Cardassian in the eyes.

 

Garak blinked back up at him, a large amount of mischief and a small amount of wonder in his blue eyes. Though it was quickly being replaced by a calculating look. “My dear doctor, you’re simply  _ full _ of  _ surprises _ .”

 

Julian smiled. Then he looked up, pretending a if he had forgotten about the others. “You were saying, Dukat?”

 

The Cardassian tried to say something - his mouth moved up and down a few times, but no sound came forth. 

 

The doctor easily slid back into his own seat, looking rather like the cat that got the cream. “Of course, I suppose you really have assisted me - I would have never known about that  _ particular _ Cardassian norm if you hadn’t told me. So, thank you, Dukat - your services have been more than sufficient.”

 

Kira snorted, but covered it with a cough. “Come on, Dukat - I’m suddenly in the mood for Klingon food.”

 

“Though I must say your impersonation of a fish is rather admirable.” Garak resumed his meal, smiling slyly at his lunch companion. 

 

Dukat snapped his jaw shut, then turned on his heel and marched off.

 

Kira sighed and rolled her eyes before trailing after him - but not before giving Julian an admonishing - albeit good natured - shake of her head.

 

Julian folded his hands in front of him after they were out of earshot. “So, Garak…”

 

“Doctor, I think a more  _ thorough _ review of the Foundation series is in order. Would you mind joining me in my quarters for dinner?” Garak spoke with casual ease, smiling banally at the young man.

 

Julian narrowed his eyes at the tailor, then laughed. “Of course - I always enjoy a little polite conversation.”

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by that one tumblr post about a girl trying to be mean by telling a boy that another girl liked him - only to find out he was her boyfriend...
> 
> I still have mixed feelings about Dukat, because on the one hand he's the villain you love to hate - on the other, he legitimately loved Ziyal, which is a constant clash point with the rest of his character (in the best of ways).


End file.
